eben holden-第57部分

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ss　them。　At　the　order　we　halted　and　laid　down　and　fired　volley　after　volley　at　the　grey　coats　in　the　edge　of　the　thicket　A　bullet　struck　in　the　grass　ahead　of　me；　throwing　a　bit　of　dirt　into　my　eyes。　Another　brushed　my　hat　off　and　I　heard　a　wailing　death　yell　behind　me。　The　colonel　rode　up　waving　a　sword。

'Get　up　an'　charge！'he　shouted。

On　we　went；　cheering　loudly；　firing　as　we　ran；　Bullets　went　by　me　hissing　in　my　ears；　and　I　kept　trying　to　dodge　them。　We　dropped　again　flat　on　our　faces。

A　squadron　of　black…horse　cavalry　came　rushing　out　of　the　woods　at　us；　the　riders　yelling　as　they　waved　their　swords。　Fortunately　we　had　not　time　to　rise。　A　man　near　me　tried　to　get　up。

'Stay　down！'I　shouted。

In　a　moment　I　learned　something　new　about　horses。　They　went　over　us　like　a　flash。　I　do　not　think　a　man　was　trampled。　Our　own　cavalry　kept　them　busy　as　soon　as　they　had　passed。

Of　the　many　who　had　started　there　was　only　a　ragged　remnant　near　me。　We　fired　a　dozen　volleys　lying　there。　The　man　at　my　elbow　rolled　upon　me；　writhing　like　a　worm　in　the　fire。

'We　shall　all　be　killed！'a　man　shouted。　'Where　is　the　colonel？　

'Dead；'said　another。

'Better　retreat；'said　a　third。

'Charge！'I　shouted　as　loudly　as　ever　I　could；　jumping　to　my　feet　and　waving　my　sabre　as　I　rushed　forward。　'Charge！　

It　was　the　one　thing　needed　…　they　followed　me。　In　a　moment　we　had　hurled　ourselves　upon　the　grey　line　thrusting　with　sword　and　bayonet。

They　broke　before　us　…　some　running；　some　fighting　desperately。

A　man　threw　a　long　knife　at　inc　out　of　a　sling。　Instinctively　I　caught　the　weapon　as　if　it　had　been　a　ball　hot　off　the　bat。　In　doing　so　I　dropped　my　sabre　and　was　cut　across　the　fingers。　He　came　at　me　fiercely；　clubbing　his　gun　…　a　raw…boned；　swarthy　giant；　broad　as　a　barn　door。　I　caught　the　barrel　as　it　came　down。　He　tried　to　wrench　it　away；　but　I　held　firmly。　Then　he　began　to　push　up　to　me。　I　let　him　come；　and　in　a　moment　we　were　grappling　hip　and　thigh。　He　was　a　powerful　man；　but　that　was　my　kind　of　warfare。　It　gave　me　comfort　when　I　felt　the　grip　of　his　hands。　I　let　him　tug　a　jiffy；　and　then　caught　him　with　the　old　hiplock；　and　he　went　under　me　so　hard　I　could　hear　the　crack　of　his　bones。　Our　support　came　then。　We　made　him　prisoner；　with　some　two　hundred　other　men。　Reserves　came　also　and　took　away　the　captured　guns。　My　comrades　gathered　about　me；　cheering；　but　I　had　no　suspicion　of　what　they　meant。　I　thought　it　a　tribute　to　my　wrestling。　Men　lay　thick　there　back　of　the　guns　…　some　dead；　some　caffing　faintly　for　help。　The　red　puddles　about　them　were　covered　with　ffies；　ants　were　crawling　over　their　faces。　I　felt　a　kind　of　sickness　and　turned　away。

What　was　left　of　my　regiment　formed　in　fours　to　join　the　advancing　column。　Horses　were　galloping　riderless；　rein　and　stirrup　flying；　some　horribly　wounded。　One　hobbled　near　me；　a　front　leg　gone　at　the　knee。

Shells　were　flying　overhead；　cannonballs　were　ricocheting　over　the　level　valley；　throwing　turf　in　the　air；　tossing　the　dead　and　wounded　that　lay　thick　and　helpless。

Some　were　crumpled　like　a　rag；　as　if　the　pain　of　death　had　withered　them　in　their　clothes；　some　swollen　to　the　girth　of　horses；　some　bent　backward；　with　anns　outreaching　like　one　trying　an　odd　trick；　some　lay　as　if　listening　eagerly；　an　ear　close　to　the　ground；　some　like　a　sleeper；　their　heads　upon　their　arms；　one　shrieked　loudly；　gesturing　with　bloody　hands；　'Lord　God　Almighty；　have　mercy　on　me！

I　had　come　suddenly　to　a　new　world；　where　the　lives　of　men　were　cheaper　than　blind　puppies。　I　was　a　new　sort　of　creature；　and　reckless　of　what　came；　careless　of　all　I　saw　and　heard。

A　staff　officer　stepped　up　to　me　as　we　joined　the　main　body。

'You　ve　been　shot；　young　man；'he　said；　pointing　to　my　left　hand。

Before　he　could　turn　I　felt　a　rush　of　air　and　saw　him　fly　into　pieces；　some　of　which　hit　me　as　I　fell　backward。　I　did　not　know　what　had　happened；　I　know　not　now　more　than　that　I　have　written。　I　remember　feeling　something　under　me；　like　a　stick　of　wood；　bearing　hard　upon　my　ribs。　I　tried　to　roll　off　it；　but　somehow；　it　was　tied　to　me　and　kept　hurting。　I　put　my　hand　over　my　hip　and　felt　it　there　behind　me　…　my　own　arm！　The　hand　was　like　that　of　a　dead　man　…　cold　and　senseless。　I　pulled　it　from　under　me　and　it　lay　helpless；　it　could　not　lift　itself。　I　knew　now　that　I；　too；　had　become　one　of　the　bloody　horrors　of　the　battle。

I　struggled　to　my　feet；　weak　and　trembling；　and　sick　with　nausea。　I　must　have　been　lying　there　a　long　time。　The　firing　was　now　at　a　distance：　the　sun　had　gone　half　down　the　sky。　They　were　picking　up　the　wounded　in　the　near　field。　A　man　stood　looking　at　me。　'Good　God！'he　shouted；　and　then　ran　away　like　one　afraid。　There　was　a　great　mass　of　our　men　back　of　me　some　twenty　rods。　I　staggered　toward　them；　my　knees　quivering。

'I　can　never　get　there；'I　heard　myself　whisper。

I　thought　of　my　little　flask　of　whiskey；　and；　pulling　the　cork　with　my　teeth；　drank　the　half　of　it。　That　steadied　me　and　I　made　better　headway。　I　could　hear　the　soldiers　talking　as　I　neared　them。

'Look　a　there！'I　heard　many　saying。　'See　'em　come！　My　God！　Look　at　'em　on　the　hill　there！　

The　words　went　quicidy　from　mouth　to　mouth。　In　a　moment　I　could　hear　the　murmur　of　thousands。　I　turned　to　see　what　they　were　looking　at。　Across　the　valley　there　was　a　long　ridge；　and　back　of　it　the　main　position　of　the　Southern　army。　A　grey　host　was　pouring　over　it　…　thousand　upon　thousand　…　in　close　order；　debouching　into　the　valley。

A　big　force　of　our　men　lay　between　us　and　them。　As　I　looked　I　could　see　a　mighty　stir　in　it。　Every　man　of　them　seemed　to　be　jumping　up　in　the　air。　From　afar　came　the　sound　of　bugles　calling　'retreat　；　the　shouting　of　men；　the　rumbling　of　wagons。　It　grew　louder。　An　officer　rode　by　me　hatless；　and　halted；　shading　his　eyes。　Then　he　rode　back　hurriedly。

'Hell　has　broke　loose！'he　shouted；　as　he　passed　me。

The　blue…coated　host　was　rushing　towards　us　like　a　flood'　artillery；　cavalry；　infantry；　wagon　train。　There　was　a　mighty　uproar　in　the　men　behind　me　…　a　quick　stir　of　feet。　Terror　spread　over　them　like　the　travelling　of　fire。　It　shook　their　tongues。　The　crowd　began　caving　at　the　edge　and　jamming　at　the　centre。　Then　it　spread　like　a　swarm　of　bees　shaken　off　a　bush。

'Run！　Run　for　your　lives！'was　a　cry　that　rose　to　heaven。

'Halt；　you　cowards！'an　officer　shouted。

It　was　now　past　three　o　clock。

The　raw　army　had　been　on　its　feet　since　midnight。　For　hours　it　had　been　fighting　hunger；　a　pain　in　the　legs；　a　quivering　sickness　at　the　stomach；　a　stubborn　foe。　It　had　turned　the　flank　of　Beauregard；　victory　was　in　sight。　But　lo！　a　new　enemy　was　coming　to　the　fray；　innumerable；　unwearied；　eager　for　battle。　The　long　slope　bristled　with　his　bayonets。　Our　army　looked　and　cursed　and　began　letting　go。　The　men　near　me　were　pausing　on　the　brink　of　awful　rout　In　a　moment　they　were　off；　pell…mell；　like　a　flock　of　sheep。　The　earth　shook　under　them。　Officers　rode　around　them；　cursing；　gesticulating；　threatening；　but　nothing　could　stop　them。　Half　a　dozen　trees　had　stood　in　the　centre　of　the　roaring　mass。　Now　a　few　men　clung　to　them　…　a　remnant　of　the　monster　that　had　torn　away。　But　the　greater　host　was　now　comin